How to Wear Leggings {Modestly}

For months, I resisted the leggings revolution. Because I feared they would make me look shorter than I am. Because I feared their similarity to hose and thought that they would be uncomfortable. Because I didn’t want to wear nothing but a miniskirt over them.

I believed all of these leggings myths:

Myth #1: Leggings make you look short.

Leggings are really glorified hose, one step up from tights, when you think about it. They cling skin-tight. They stretch leg-long. I wear hose, don’t I (when I can’t avoid it)? Just like classic hose, leggings dress up outfits when worn modestly.

Myth #2: Leggings are uncomfortable.

The first time I wore leggings, I didn’t want to take them off. True story. Far from being itchy and unnatural (as I have found hose to be), leggings feel like pajama pants, soft, warm, and cozy. I think this is why the third myth came into being…

Myth #3: Leggings are pants.

Leggings are not pants.Unfortunately. They are comfortable, stylish, and even in right now, so I sort of wish I could wear them as pants. But I wouldn’t dare, for they are too tight to pass my modesty test. They are just not a substitute for a sturdy pair of slacks or jeans.

Even though wearing leggings {modestly} as pants is impossible for me, I still love my leggings! Why?

Truth #1: Leggings make you look put-together.

And who doesn’t need a little style organization on a busy Monday morning when I forgot to plan my outfit the night before (okay, so that’s most Monday mornings)? Leggings allow me to yank a skirt from the closet, pull a blouse from the drawer, put it all together, and look somewhat finished. Like I planned it. There’s just something about leggings beneath a skirt that gives a girl that classic Audrey Hepburn feel…

Truth #2: Leggings are not only comfortable, they’re warm.

I originally bought my first pair of leggings because I was going to the mountains in November for a dear friend’s wedding. (May I repeat: The mountains. In November. That spells cold for this Southern seaside town girl!) I knew I wanted to wear a dress, and I knew I needed something to prevent my knees and below from freezing. Leggings fit the bill because they are so tight and thereby keep you snug.

Truth #2: Leggings are perfect for skirts.

I’ve grown girlier since I got leggings. By that, I mean that I wear even more skirts and dresses than I did before. Because now I know that skirt/dress + leggings will equal one put-together outfit. Not only that, but they are just as comfortable (and warmer) than pants. Best of all, they are modest beneath knee-length skirts.

They go great with my short boots, too.

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Rachelle is an author and editor who would much rather shop for books than for clothes (this must be why malls were invented). Her favorite accessories are a smile and a scarf. Her debut novel releases next year.

Love it, Shell! 😀 I’m glad you’re enjoying trending and keeping your legs warm. I’ve thought of getting some as we wear skirts most of the time, just because I like them more, and thus here in the bitter cold north our legs gets quite chilly! I love how they can make a shorter skirt look more modest too, which is very convenient. 🙂

Leggings as pants are very in right now with the college age women here. I don’t think it looks cute at all. Just kinda looks like they forgot a layer. 🙂 The slightly older girls wear short skirts with theirs and while it doesn’t increase the modesty a ton, it definitely looks more put together! At 30, I love that I can layer leggings and look stylish and youthful but still be fulfilling a practical need for warmth and coverage. 🙂

Hi Anjanette! As a college student, I do see the leggings-as-pants look quite often. I think that’s one of the reasons I held out against getting my own for so long–I thought I had to wear them like that. 🙂 But instead I can use them as you mentioned, another layer for warmth, etc. 🙂

You can also wear leggings with a really long sweater and a belt. Which is my personal favorite! Or how about one of those boho-chic numbers that you arent entirely sure if they are a long shirt or a short dress? Save the confusion by tossing a pair of leggings on with them. 🙂

Oooh!! I finally got a chance to read this…and LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I am short too, and really love my leggings! They are so great for allowing me to wear short skirts in the winter and give such a great look to boots and, well, any outfit!! I’m currently on the hunt for capri length leggings that I can wear in the summer with my shorter skirts and sandals. 😀

Capri length leggings sound like the bomb, too, Hannah! It may be a little warm (okay, a lotta warm) for my corner of the South for me to be wearing leggings after April, but I’ll know that’s an option. 🙂

I just started incorporating leggings into my wardrobe because most of my skirts/dresses can be more on the summer side of things and I needed to stay warm and still look good for my profession (lol). They are perfect with a sweater dress and a pair of tall boots or with a mid length skirt and blouse and flats!